Dec. 8, 2017
By Greg Ostendorf
AuburnTigers.com
AUBURN, Ala. -- Kevin Steele came up short for the Broyles Award, which goes to the nation's top assistant coach, but the second-year Auburn assistant was named the 2017 Defensive Coordinator of the Year by Football Scoop this week.
Steele directed an Auburn defense that finished No. 10 nationally in scoring defense, allowing 17.2 points per game, and No. 14 nationally in total defense, allowing 312.3 yards per game. The Tigers, who never allowed more than 28 points in a game, also rank top 10 nationally allowing 4.58 yards per play. They were one of just six teams to rank in the top 10 in both yards per play and scoring defense.
Individually, Auburn had three defensive players, Jeff Holland, Carlton Davis and Tre' Williams, earn All-SEC honors, and two defensive linemen, Nick Coe and Big Kat Bryant, named to the Freshman All-SEC team.
Some of Steele's players and fellow coaches took to Twitter to show love to their coach.
Congrats to the GREATEST DC in the country! We love ya and we appreciate ya! 😂 #WellDeserved pic.twitter.com/Q8tBHKEVPg
-- Tre' Williams (@Trew30_) December 8, 2017
Well Deserved! Great Coach, Great Mentor, Great Father Figure! Best Defensive Coordinator In The COUNTRY!!! #NoQuestion pic.twitter.com/vE1dJfsqF7
-- ÃÆ'¢Â️Deshaun DavisÃÆ'¢ (@_Davis_Boy12) December 8, 2017
Congratulations to the best Defensive Coach !! "TheGoat" 🐐 pic.twitter.com/26PnhckDAg
- Stephen Roberts (@trillforlife14) December 9, 2017
Congratulations to Coach Steele for the well deserved honor of being named the @FootballScoop Defensive Coordinator of the Year! pic.twitter.com/VwNpEeEClK
-- Rodney Garner (@coachg76) December 8, 2017
Greg Ostendorf is a Senior Writer for AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: Follow @greg_ostendorf